Wallabies Watch

[Inside Shoulder]

He'd be no good in the lineout. He's prob got a great VJ but he definitely has big time T-Rex syndrome.

filthy claws - he might not win the first couple but after a while his opposite would be looking for the claws and not the ball.
anyway he'd be jumping against a small flightless bird and an animal that behaves like a back (running, skipping and gamboling)

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

He'd be no good in the lineout. He's prob got a great VJ but he definitely has big time T-Rex syndrome..

I have a syndrome?

 

[Scotty]

I can usually put up with a lot of Robbie's shit but if he picks Barnes at FB when Mogg is available I will seriously flip my shit.

You are on an all time high as far as cracking posts go. Two posts in one day that should go straight into post of the year (the other being the Beale reaction). Love your work.

 

[Swat]

You should see the gifs I have that don't fit anywhere. Just for shit's and giggles:

 

[Joe Mac]

How can you pick Barnes without a single game under his belt? The Lions isn't the place to find your form.

JOC (James O'Connor) is really bad under the high ball, in my opinion he isn't a 15.

Two more games to go but my money is on Folau. He has tons of big game experience from his Origin days and he is playing the house down every weekend.

 

[Dumbledore]

How can you pick Barnes without a single game under his belt? The Lions isn't the place to find your form.

JOC (James O'Connor) is really bad under the high ball, in my opinion he isn't a 15.

Two more games to go but my money is on Folau. He has tons of big game experience from his Origin days and he is playing the house down every weekend.

I agree that 15 isn't his best position, but saying he's 'really bad' under the high ball just isn't true. He had a shocker against the All Blacks when he was, what, 19? He's been completely adequate so far this season, and was excellent against the Chiefs in that department.

 

[Joe Blow]

Yep its Mogg or JOC (James O'Connor) for me at fullback.

I would go with JOC (James O'Connor) because I think Mogg will stuff up big time in his first few tests before coming good.

Genia
Cooper
Ioane
Lilo
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Folau
JOC (James O'Connor)

Although I think Deans will use this as an excuse to bring Barnes back into the team.

That would be my backline.

 

[Brumbieman]

The 25 man squad is still pretty damn easy and logical.

Robinson, Alexander
Moore, Nau
Palmer, Slipper
Horwill, McMeniman
Douglas
Mowen, Higginbotham
Smith, Gill, Hooper
Palu

Genia, White
Cooper
Ioane
Lealiifano, McCabe
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
O'Connor
Folau, Mogg

 

[Braveheart81]

The 25 man squad is still pretty damn easy and logical.

Robinson, Alexander
Moore, Nau
Palmer, Slipper
Horwill, McMeniman
Douglas
Mowen, Higginbotham
Smith, Gill, Hooper
Palu

Genia, White
Cooper
Ioane
Lealiifano, McCabe
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
O'Connor
Folau, Mogg

I'll be very surprised if MMM makes the 25 man squad. He's not back this weekend so if he comes back next weekend he'll have one game before this squad is selected. I'm not even sure he's playing next weekend. I expect he'll be pencilled in for the final 6 spots and given time to prove his fitness and get some game time under his belt.

I'm also predicting that only one Brumbies prop (Alexander) will make this initial squad. Jake White has complained about losing players for the final game before the break against the Rebels and being in this 25 man squad means you miss that round. I think Kepu or Ryan will be the fourth prop in the 25 (because the Tahs are essentially out of contention and thus have less room to complain) and then Sio or Palmer will be the 5th prop added in the final 6 players.

Otherwise I think it is pretty close to the mark. I could see McCabe being held back to the final 6 so he gets extra game time but Ben Tapuai's form slump probably makes it more likely for Tapuai to be left out of the initial 25.

Who knows whether Cooper will get selected in this initial 25. There is some talk about leaving him out so he gets to face the Lions for the Reds and has a chance to prove his ability under pressure in a test match environment.

 

[Richo]

Like it or not, I reckon Simmons or Timani will be selected in the 25.

 

[Swat]

Like it or not, I reckon Simmons or Timani will be selected in the 25.

As much as I dislike the penalty magnet that is simmons he has picked up his game in the last couple of rounds and I'd be happier with someone who can run a line out than a big bopper like timani who has poor body height and small gas tank.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

As much as I dislike the penalty magnet that is simmons he has picked up his game in the last couple of rounds and I'd be happier with someone who can run a line out than a big bopper like timani who has poor body height and small gas tank.

I think Simmons should and will get the nod also. I've never been a fan as he's come across as sooky penalty magnet but something has changed in the last 2 months or so and he's playing tight and hard and running the line out well with minimal grub behavior. I don't mind timani, he's good in a scrum and puts the hurt on people occasionally but we need a bit more versatility in a lock especially at the lineout. It will be interesting to see how Simmons goes without Kev tonight, maybe he works better when they're on the field together.

From a personal bias point of view I'd love to think Hugh Pyle was a smokey but until he plays tighter I don't think he's a good option vs the lions, that is of course unless Robbie throws caution to the wind and wants to run the ball from everywhere but why would we play to our strengths?

 

[Sully]

FFS!! The Simmons penalty magnet Myth was disproved months ago. Get over it.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Braveheart81]

I've never been a fan of Simmons but I'd argue he's played the best football of his career in the last half a dozen or so weeks.

He definitely deserves a place in the squad and depending on the backrowers picked is a likely partner for Horwill in the test team. With Palu the likely number 8, it definitely improves Simmons' chances of being Horwill's partner for his lineout prowess.

On a side note, his head bandage against the Force was one of the all time shockers. All it could have stopped was his hair bleeding.

 

[BDA]

Beale's behaviour might alter the initial 25 squad slightly (i.e. probably Mogg or Barnes moves in to the 25). I still expect Beale will be in the final 31, probably as part of the additional 6.

 

[Cosmo Jones]

1. 
   1. Ben Robinson
   2. Steven Moore
   3. Benny alexander
   4. Sitaleki Timani
   5. Horwill (C)
   6. Dave Dennis
   7. Michael Hooper
   8. Ben Mowen
   9. Genia
   10.Quade Cooper
   11.Digby Ione
   12.Lealiifano
   13.AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
   14.JOC (James O'Connor)
   15.Folau
   
   This is my pick for the lions tour, what do you think?

 

[Braveheart81]

Cosmo Jones - I don't think Dennis is going to be in the starting side and will probably struggle to make the squad. His form has been improving a lot though and if MMM can't get fit his chances will improve dramatically as he can cover 6 and 4.

I think Mowen and Higgers are playing for the 6 jersey because I expect Palu to be 8.

I doubt Cooper is going to be selected at 10.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

My reasonably reliable, but no means 100% reliable, mail is that JOC (James O'Connor) will be 10 and KB (Kurtley Beale) will be 15, unless Pulver/Board decides to punish him severely. IF on the wing.

 

[qwerty51]

That's good news, JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale must be 10 and 15. Don't care which way, they can even alternate during games.

 

[Braveheart81]

My reasonably reliable mail is that JOC (James O'Connor) will be 10 and KB (Kurtley Beale) will be 15, unless Pulver/Board decides to punish him severely. IF on the wing.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure KB (Kurtley Beale) is only going to sit out one Rebels game and will play next weekend against the Stormers. If he plays well there he could be straight into the 25 man squad. Otherwise he'll be a very strong chance for the last 6 picked.